Category: Let's talk
well today the conservatives, as part of their drive to win the election, are going to talk about the possible legalisation of prostitution. Well let's leave government out of it for now (i'm sure most brits are sick of hearing about the election anyway), but on the issue of the legalisation of prostitution - what do you peeps think? should we go the way they have in the netherlands and legalise it? after all, people will always prostitute themselves, and although some do do it as a means to feed a drug habit, or to get out of terrible debt, some do do it because that is the profession they choose - mainly I guess because it pays well. And surely if it were legalised, we could get the prostitutes off the streets, and the curb crawlers as well? and wouldn't that limit the amount of young girls smuggled into the country for such purposes?
I think it should be legalized. At least that way the workers are insured some official protection and benefits and pension etc. I don't agree with it necessariy but if there are people who want to sell their bodies to others and there are people who want to pay the price, well, at least provide those working in the industry some type of official protection to limit the amount of violence and risks associated with the job. Unethical, sure it is but I don't really see why it's any more illegal than a lot of things that .. well .. are legal, gambling, strippers, lap dances, alcohol, movies with nudity (not very many movies left without it honnestly) .. so I'd be on the side of just legalizing prostitution .. although I don't reallyhave a strong opinion on this since my moral stance reallyis that people should do whatever they want to do provided they don't harm others and I will not pass judgement on that (or will try to refrain from doing so) I will have my opinions but I can't see why we should use laws and regulations to force them to act a certain way or endanger their lives as we are effectively doing by depriving them of any legal protection.
Cheers
-B
I do agree that prostitution should be legalized. Yes, it's going to be used to feed some bad habits, but so are a lot of other professions. However, on the other hand, we might be able to better control STD's and violence. Plus, eliviate some over crowding in jails...Plus, some women do it because it's the only thing they know, and they have to feed their family some how...And yes, I think that would crack down on people being forced into it.
I honestly don't think it should be legalized. I know, some people don't see another way to get their money and all that, but I still think it shouldn't.
Of course prostitution should be legalised. Prostitutes who harm themselves by taking drugs which are funded by their way of living, harm thereselves not their customers. There's no reason as to why it should be elegal. Some people benefit having experienced the service of a prostitute. I wouldn't encourage people to be prostitutes, there's far better ways of living, I probably wouldn't use a prostitute, but I don't believe that their profession and certain other things which are still elegal should remain elegal.
and then of course there's the fact that governments would benefit from it, after all, if they were legal, they would pay tax, national insurance etc ... and thus would contribute to the general society we live in ..
and Ines why don't you think it should be legalised? I think that some perhaps feel that way because of moral reasons - it's wrong to sell your body, and it's wrong to seek sexual gratification from a prostitute. but whether it's legal or not, people will continue to prostitute themselves, and people will continue to pay for sex. and prostitutes who do so from the streets put themselves at great risk every day, countless prostitutes are murdered every year and often we never hear about these crimes, young girls are exployed by pimps who send them out to earn drug money so they can feed their habbits. if prostitution were legal, this wouldn't happen, because these girls could work from safe places, where they had the necessary protection, and healthcare required.
Sure legalize it, If you wanna be a fulltime hoe and get paid, fine with me, just don't go standing on corners near schools or whatever. Go put an ad in the paper or something hehe. <shrug> don't see why it shouldn't be legalized.
if it was legal then they wouldn't have to stand on street corners, they could advertise if they needed to, or there could be oficially recognized red light districts like there are in holland.
I think that, if prostitution were legalised, it would be a good thing. People will always turn to prostitution for many reasons, and I don't think it is up to anyone to judge others without knowing their reasons for something. I've learned a lot over the last couple of months and have changed my oppinions on a lot of things. Everyone has the right to do what they like, in my oppinion, as long as it is not harming anyone else. I think that prostitution is potentially, a very dangerous thing at the moment. If it were legalised, it would provide both safety and security to the people who practise it. They deserve that. They may have a variety reasons of turning to such a thing, but, that's not the point. everyone has the right to safety.
It would be a good thing if prostitutes did not have to stand on streetcorners and work in unsafe places. It is a dangerous profession, legal or not, but I do not think sending a prostitute to jail will help him/her or society. The taxes the government receives is, of course, a good thing; why should the prostitutes get off scott free from paying taxes? If it must be illegal, I think fines are better punishments, like in traffic violations. I do not see how legalization would help cut down on the people smuggling though, and I am still concerned about the people that are harmed as a result of prostitution. How would legalization cut down on diseases? Unwanted babies? What if legalization would encourage more prostitutes, or more people to make use of prostitutes? We can't control very permiscuous sex, but we can deter people from doing it for money. I'm not sure what to believe on this issue.
I mentioned control of diseases for this reason. The government could put regulations...guidelines on the profession as they do on food vendors, drug stores, and in this way keep a prostitute from spreading a disease that could otherwise be cured if the proper guidelines were set, and proper steps taken...However, I expect this ability is beyond most governments...As far as unwanted babies; birth control would be easier to come by for such women through health plans? LOL, that was just off the top of my head. Here is another thing to consider. Is it possible that if a woman is in prostitution legally, finds out a girl is being forced or is under age but can't get to the cops, she'd be more willing to report this if it wouldn't compromise her own lively hood? Also, if a man agrees to pay and doesn't, but instead beats the crap out of her and leaves, isn't it easier for a woman to go to the police over the issue; where in he may be found out for not just that crime, but others? Also, wouldn't are jails be less crowded if the cops weren't worried so much about a good being sold that has been sold through out history, and no matter what is done will continue to be sold?
I just think this thought is disgusting. Sure, there might be advantages of it, but - no, I'm still against legalizing it, sorry.
Wow Witchcraft, those are really good points. Those scenarios alone indicate that legalizing it would make it safer for all involved--not much safer, but maybe we could crack down on underage prostitutionor clients who assault the prostitutes, more easily. Also Ines, keep in mind that things that are legal are not necessarily moral. For example, cheating on your spouse is legal, but not moral if you at all value trust and openness.
Well if it really is safer, then I'm not sure anymore of my opinion. I just think it's disgusting.
Maybe disgusting to you, but if you had a choice, sell myself or let your baby starve, what would you choose. Sure, most of the time there is another solution if the person knows how to look for it, but for some girls it may be the only way they know to put food in their children's mouths. Besides, because you find something disgusting, but it is not hurting anyone...rape, murder, abuse...does that mean we should stop everyone from doing it? I mean wouldn't this world be quite the place if all of us found everything the same acceptible?
Ines, I would agree with you on this one. To that last question, I would choose another job like cleaning or doing dishes, either for restraunts or other people. I could and would never sell my body for anything. Y'all are talking about legalizing prostitution in countries where you do have other choices on what you can do, so really, if the woman didn't know what else to do, perhaps she could ask around, or it's more than likely she'll see other people doing other jobs, so she could ask them how they got it, or what jobs she could do without college experience. As for prostitution not hurting anyone, I'd just have to say I still would disagree with it being legalized, but yes, that's just my opinion and for moral reasons.
Leilani
Well that's true though Witchkraft.
And if you were never taught how to clean properly? And I hate to say it, but sometimes jobs aren't as available as you think. That is why our unemployment rate is quite high...Though I'd have to go look to get you the exact figures on that.
Sure they're not, but I'd definitely only do it if I didn't have any other choice.
I think that most would rather do something else, however, there are people who do actually choose prostitution as their profession. for whatever reason. And to them, it's just selling a service. There will always be prostitutes, and there will always be people who are prepared to pay for sex, so that being the case, shouldn't it just be legal so that everyone is safe and people who choose to sell themselves can do so without fear of retribution?
I really don't think it would take long at all to learn to clean though. You just need to know what chemicals to use for what and to make sure you use those properly. And unemployment also has to do with employers not willing to hire some people and the economy. I know that prostitution would pay better than cleaning or other labor-type jobs. That might be one of the major reasons people would be willing to go into that. Also, I know there will always be prostitutes and people willing to pay for it; I just don't think it should be necessary to make money. But I guess in the case of safety for the prostitute, there should be some laws for that or at least services that are willing to help with that. It's hard to say I'd agree with having it legalized as a legal job though. OK. I know that didn't make a lot of sense, but yeah.
Leilani
Well I think that if we look at the reasons for and against legalisation, that the reasons against relate mostly to peoples' moral objections. People see selling your body for sex and paying for sex as being wrong, and therefore they feel it should remain illegal. Some similar arguments apply towards the legalisation of drugs, but that's a different topic and there are some broader issues involved there. But if you take the moral argument out, i.e. that someone thinks that a girl shouldn't see her body, or that a guy shouldn't pay for sex, there aren't really any other arguments against the legalisation of prostitution.